


And then there was Kurt

by Haely_Potter



Series: Glee/Avengers series [2]
Category: Glee, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-18
Updated: 2013-01-18
Packaged: 2017-11-25 22:33:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/643660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haely_Potter/pseuds/Haely_Potter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The summer before University has been normal for S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Kurt Hummel until his father is taken by the hostile and put under mind control. He is spirited away to decode his father's notes on his project and his first love arrives to Earth once again, this time to save it. Slightly OOC, Klaine and Thor/Kurt</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own either Glee or The Avengers

The evening was quiet but the research facility was a flurry of activity. It wasn’t everyday they were told to evacuate, even with the Tesseract there. It had been a couple of weeks since Director Fury’d brought the Hawk and the Bear. The Hawk was a man in his late twenties, early thirties, brought in to observe. The Bear was a man in his fifties who did something with the Tesseract, keeping keen notes and never showing them to anyone. Those who had accidentally seen his notes told others they couldn’t understand them, saying they were in some kind of code. The scientists hoped he was doing something to keep the cube from misbehaving like it had been doing lately.

Most of the scientists were frustrated by the Hawk and the Bear. The two newcomers didn’t talk much, even at meals or to each other. Well, the Bear talked to Dr. Selvig about Jane Foster’s Einstein-Rosen Bridge theory a couple of times, citing interest in the subject. Other than that, he didn’t share any personal information. Still, it was more than the Hawk so the scientists encouraged him.

When the Director came, no one was surprised he talked briefly with Selvig before wanting to talk with the Hawk and the Bear.

“Agents, report,” Fury demanded as they walked. “Hawkeye, you were supposed to keep an eye on the Tesseract project and its scientists.”

Clint Barton aka. Hawkeye shrugged. “I see better from afar. But the Tesseract has been acting up lately, like Selvig said. No tampering on this side.”

“Hummel, you were trying to come up with something to harness it’s power.”

“That’s the difference between a scientist and an inventor,” sighed Burt. “Scientists spend their time trying to prove their own or someone else’s theories, occasionally inventing something in the process. An inventor on the other hand doesn't care for theories, he just concentrates on making the things he invents. But lucky for you, I came up with something as plebeian as a theory and proved it correct. I can build-“

The explanation was cut off when a blond scientist announced the cube’s energy levels were spiking again. The Director, the Hawk and the Bear were in front of the cube and Fury turned to Barton.

“You said there was no tampering on this side. What did you mean?”

“Well, it’s a door, right?” asked Clint with a hint of annoyance. “Doors open from both sides and from one side it’s easier to force them open. Maybe that’s what’s happening here.”

“I’ll say,” Burt said, staring at a computer screen. “Its energy levels are spiking higher than ever before. It’s like… it finally has a purpose or something.”

“And what might this purpose be?” Fury had the time to ask before the Tesseract shot a blue beam of energy that formed some kind of portal over the platform they used to harvest small amounts of the cube’s beams heat energy.

“I’m guessing Barton was spot on with his door analogy,” Burt shouted when they saw something start to form.

The group looked on in fascination as the form solidified to a man standing in the middle of the platform, security reacting to the foreign presence. The shock wave of the cube’s energy didn't do anything but wash over them, leaving them all slightly unsettled. The stranger took in his surroundings with a wicked smile. Absently Burt thought he looked like Kurt when he’s planning something.

The man seemed unconcerned with the guns trained on him. His eyes landed on Burt and an eyebrow was arched, recognition flashing in his eyes. Then he moved on to the Tesseract and much more interest could be seen in his eyes.

Burt knew who the man was the second their eyes met. The man would have no reason to recognize him, having come from a different realm, unless he was Thor’s brother Loki. The brother who had tried to commit a genocide last time Burt heard. If everything had gone well, Thor would have had to fight in a war between Asgard and Jotunheim, hopefully winning and coming to visit Kurt. As he hadn’t visited (at least to Burt’s knowledge), Burt reasoned something had gone wrong. Loki standing in front of him supported that claim.

“Sir! Please put down the spear!” Fury told the stranger who looked down at the spear in his right hand.

And then he attacked, shooting some kind of energy beams (much like the Tesseract’s beam but smaller). The fight was over in under thirty seconds and Burt was left standing where he had been, wondering if Loki had a reason to spare him.

“You, father of Kurt, are one of the scientists researching this?” Loki asked with barely contained glee.

“Not a scientist,” grouched Burt, unimpressed. He’d watched the security footage of Thor’s fight with the Destroyer after he’d held Kurt who had cried himself to sleep that night years ago. “I’m an inventor. The difference is clear as night and day. But I suppose you are Loki, brother of Thor and Prince of Asgard?”

Loki took a step forward with a gleeful smirk. “I suppose I was a prince of Asgard… But I was never Thor’s brother!” he shouted and the last thing Burt knew was Loki’s specter against his chest and a chill emitting from that spot.


	2. Chapter one

Kurt woke up curled around Blaine in their, well, his (S.H.I.E.L.D. liked to keep him happy) apartment in Manhattan. Mai hadn't woken him and the drapes were still shut, indicating that it was before his normal wake up call. He wasn't sure what exactly woke him up until his phone started to ring again. Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” blasted from his phone, informing him S.H.I.E.L.D., or rather agent Coulson, was calling.

“Yes?” he greeted groggily. He didn’t like being woken up in the middle of the night.

“Agent Hummel Jr., the Staten Island research facility where your father has been for the past two weeks… It has collapsed. According to Director Fury the hostile has agent Hummel Sr. under some kind of mind control. We need you to come to the Helicarrier and go over his and Selvig’s notes. Your father wrote his in some kind of code and you need to decode it. We want to know what they knew and what Loki now knows.”

Kurt sat up sharply, sleep leaving his system. “Loki?”

“…You were going to be informed once on the Helicarrier,” Coulson answered hesitantly. ”Thor hasn’t been sighted yet but we are fairly certain he will appear soon.”

Kurt turned to look at his sleeping boyfriend. The black haired boy had appeared in his life exactly six months after Thor returned to Asgard. Without knowing it, the short boy had helped him, making him feel less… abandoned. He does love his boyfriend but he also never stopped loving Thor. (That’s the conclusion he came to. Crushes wax and wane in time when left alone. Love doesn’t dissipate like that. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that.) Before, that hadn’t been a problem as Thor had been in places unknown to man and Kurt could concentrate on his boyfriend. Things just got so much more complicated.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he said and ended the call, not taking his eyes off his partner.

He sat in the dark for a while, contemplating his choices. He could break up with Blaine and have… something with Thor. He could have both of them for a while, be found out and be called a cheater. Or he could tell Thor he had a boyfriend and ignore his feelings for the blond thunder god. And who was to say Thor would even stay on or visit Earth often enough for them to work? For all Kurt knew, the god had already moved on with his life and had a wife in Asgard.

His phone informed him of an incoming text.

This could take a while to solve. Put that boyfriend of yours somewhere safe.  
-Phil

With a sigh Kurt turned to his peacefully sleeping boyfriend and shook his shoulder. “Blaine, sweetie, you have to wake up.”

“Kurt?” Blaine yawned. “What is it?”

“Umm…” Blaine knew of his job but hadn’t found out about aliens yet… “My dad’s missing. I have to go to work, Coulson thinks whoever has him is after the project dad was working on. They need me to decode his notes.”

“Okay,” Blaine said and his head hit the pillow.

Kurt shook him awake again. “Do you remember the safety procedure in case of an attack?”

“Deep basements and parks, stay away from subway. If possible, vacate the city,” mumbled Blaine sleepily. “Leave rescuing others and defeating the hostiles to professionals, no unnecessary heroics.”

“Good boy,” Kurt pressed a kiss to his forehead and got off the bed, intending to have a shower before work. “Mai, start breakfast.”

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

The Helicarrier was impressive, even when most of it was underwater rather than hanging in the air. Personally Kurt didn’t like the Helicarrier because he knew how much energy it took for it to fly but Director Fury hadn’t given the Hummels the green light to reduce its energy need. (Kurt knew Burt could have also easily improved the whole “staying-in-the-air” thing with his hover technology but they lacked the blasted green light. Last year Burt had given Kurt hover platforms that could be fastened to any shoes without permanent damage to the shoes. The platforms were easy to carry around unnoticed and even when wearing them they were inconspicuous… they were rechargeable…)

Kurt landed on the runway and took a few balancing steps. Agent Maria Hill was waiting for him on the side, her uniform crisp, her bun as tight as ever despite how many time Kurt told her to loosen it a little. She was going to curse stretching her skin in a few years…

“Agent Hummel,” she greeted him with a nod as he took the platforms off.

“Agent Hill,” he returned the greeting and the two headed inside as sun started to rise in the horizon.

“The hostile, Loki he calls himself, has taken the Tesseract,” Hill began the briefing. “We have begun gathering a team that should be able to locate it. You are the leader of this team, mostly because you are the first present and because no one else can understand your father’s notes. Study his and Dr. Selvig’s notes while waiting for the others. Dr. Bruce Banner, Dr. Jane Foster and Tony Stark will be joining you within thirty-six hours.”

Kurt nodded, recognizing the names. Bruce Banner was the leading expert in gamma radiation. Kurt’s grandma Julie Hummel had worked on the project before retiring and dying soon after her husband. Jane Foster was an astrophysicist specializing in Einstein-Rosen Bridges, more commonly known as worm holes. Burt had taken an interest in her work after Thor’s visit. And who hadn’t heard about Tony Stark? Genius, billionaire, playboy and philanthropist, the man was on the news weekly for something, be it a scandal or a new invention.

They reached the laboratory. “The break room is through there and the restroom through there. Meals are at standard times,” Hill said and left Kurt to his own devices.

Kurt smirked when he saw the computers in the lab were all original Hummels from PDDs (Personal Document Dealer, the Hummels’ contribution to tablet computers) to TMs (Teach Me, the self learning computer that wasn’t technically an artificial intelligence). He personally had programmed a sub route to the software that they could always be connected to Mai, no matter where they were. “Mai, hack and search, new information only. Alert me when you’re done, I’ve got some studying to do,” he said and took the closest PDD, heading to the break room where he was sure to find a couch to lounge on.

The PDD’s screen flashed. “Yes Master Kurt.”

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

In thirty hours Kurt had studied and decoded his dad’s notes, read through Dr. Selvig’s notes and Mai’s report of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s latest projects. As he was beginning to feed the decoded notes to the computer the lab doors opened for the first time since he arrived. Agent Natasha Romanov led two people inside, one man, one woman. The man had dark hair and tan skin, dressed in cheap and faded clothes, he was in his early forties and had bags under his eyes. The woman had long dark brown hair and chocolaty eyes, tanned and dressed well if not in any particular style but comfort in heat and she was in her late twenties, not particularly pretty but not exactly repulsive either. No ring on either, no children (at least children the man knew of).

“Hummel, these are-“ Romanov began but Kurt cut her off irritably.

“I know who they are, Bruce Banner and Jane Foster, leading experts in gamma radiation and Einstein-Rosen Bridges,” Kurt snapped but didn’t stop typing. “How well have they been briefed?”

“They read Selvig’s notes during their flights.”

“Only halfway done then. You two, don’t touch anything until I’m done,” he said and glanced at the scientists looking around the lab curiously, snapping their attention to him.

“This is Kurt Hummel, your team leader,” Romanov sighed and introduced him to the confused duo. “Hummel-“

“Not now, Romanov! I haven’t slept in over thirty hours because I had to get this done before they arrived and I’ve lived off energy bars. Now leave me to it for five more minutes so that they can get to studying my dad’s notes and I get to go to sleep for six hours. My cognitive abilities are starting fade and I’d like to be done before my hands shake so badly I can’t even type!” Kurt ranted at her, shocking the three into stillness. Exactly five minutes later he hit save and stretched, letting out a huge yawn. He turned to the trio and offered a sleepy smile as he got up. “I’m done. Have fun. Don’t wreck my lab. I’m going to sleep in the break room. Don’t wake me until dinner or Thor shows his gorgeous behind. And then he’s getting a scolding for waking me…” he trailed off as the door closed behind him.

“What was that?” Jane asked Natasha when the door was closed.

“Agent Kurt Hummel, inventor extraordinary,” Natasha rolled her eyes. “He’s nineteen and going to University in the fall. He was recruited two years and four months ago, just before the launching of Hummel Corp. His dad is under Loki’s spell, otherwise you’d be working with agent Burt Hummel. He’s much more co-operative than his son but doesn’t like scientists. It was a miracle Fury got him to work on the Tesseract at all with all those scientists around. But the man and his son are geniuses (“It’s genii!” Kurt shouted from the break room). They never let it go to their heads either unlike Tony Stark.”

“Wait, Fury is going to let me work with a child?” asked Bruce disbelievingly. “And I thought it was a stupid idea to bring me here in the first place!”

Natasha huffed. “Yeah right. If the Hulk hurts Hummel, I’ll retire. He may not seem it and he’s a real angel most times but when you say something wrong and you’ve got a harpy with experimental technology on your hands. I don’t know where he learned to run and dodge the way he has but since his first summer he’s been giving courses in evasion.” She looked around the lab for the last time. “You better get studying. Hummel can be a real slave driver when his students aren’t prepared for his class,” she said over her shoulder and left the two nervous scientists alone.

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

A little over six hours later Kurt stumbled from the break room and found his two new subordinates studying in an awkward silence. He felt much better after the sleep and coughed to get the duo’s attention. “I know Romanov introduced me earlier today but I thought it better to introduce myself,” he said with a yawn. “I’m Kurt Hummel, leader of this particular team of experts. Yes, I’m nineteen, yes, I was recruited when I was sixteen, no, I don’t normally live here, yes, I’m gay, no Dr. Banner, I’m not even nervous to be in the same room as you.”  
“Why would you be nervous?” asked Jane and cocked her head, hair falling to a curtain, glancing at Bruce.

Kurt arched an eyebrow at her. “You don’t know? You… you didn’t piece it together? Lady, how are you one of the brightest minds in astrophysics if you can’t put together something that is obviously in front of you? Now, normally I wouldn’t go around airing other people’s laundry but you must know just to be on the safe side. Dr. Banner, do you want to tell her or shall I do it?”

Bruce looked faintly ill. “Why don’t you do it?” he said and left the room.

Kurt turned back to Jane. “Dr. Banner was in an accident involving gamma radiation and was mutated. Whenever his heartbeat rises above a certain level, he loses control to Hulk. I’m sure you’ve heard of him?”

Jane nodded, unsure how to take the news from Kurt. The nice man she’d worked with for hours could’ve gotten frustrated and destroyed the lab and killed her any time since they arrived. He really didn’t seem like that kind of person but as the old saying goes: don’t judge a book by its cover. Kurt had just confirmed it, he looked like an angel after all. A tired angel but an angel none the less.

“So what’s happened while I was asleep?” Kurt asked and they began to make their way to the mesh hall.

Jane glanced at him in surprise. She’d believed he wasn’t interested in anything but his job like many others who stayed awake for thirty hours because of it. “Well, Loki was sighted in Germany and Stark and Captain Rogers were sent to apprehend him almost as soon as you went to sleep,” she finally settled on telling him.

Kurt stopped dead in his tracks. “Wait, what? Say that again!” he ordered her.

Bewildered, she stopped too. “Umm… Loki was sighted in Germany? Stark and Rogers went to apprehend him.”

“Has there been any news?” Kurt asked her urgently.

“The… the fight is still on going from what I understand,” stuttered Jane.

“How long has it been on going?” he demanded. “How long!?”

“A-an hour,” Jane struggled to answer.

That gave Kurt a pause. He knew what Asgardians with powers were capable of, he’d seen Thor after all. Loki probably could’ve ended the fight in the first five to ten minutes so what was playing at? It wasn’t like he needed the fight to get their attention, he already had it after stealing the Tesseract. Unless… he needed their attention on him rather than somewhere else. But where? He already had the Tesseract and the two men who could understand it (aside from Kurt himself of course, after reading the notes). 

Kurt went over what he knew of the Tesseract and his father’s notes. The machine Burt had invented that could both stabilize and harvest the Tesseract’s energy needed iridium in its natural form which was a hard thing to come by on Earth. All the other materials were rather common but Loki would have to work to get the iridium he needed. If Loki was drawing their attention it reasoned that some of his mind whammied agents were stealing the iridium at the very moment. And that meant they were unfortunately at least halfway done with the machine.

Closing his eyes, Kurt breathed deeply trying to calm himself. Unless they got some serious help they were all going to die or be ruled over and Kurt didn’t do groveling, for anyone. Silently he sent a prayer for Thor to come to Earth to get his brother back, even if he’d moved on and wouldn’t care if Kurt died. He knew Thor wouldn’t hear it but maybe Heimdal or Odin would and they would send Thor to help.

Finally opening his eyes he saw Jane staring at him in concern. He gave her a feeble smile. “We’ve got about twenty-four hours before we’re either dead or groveling before Loki or someone saved us.”

“You got all this from the fact that Loki showed himself?” asked Jane in amazement.

“I’ll explain my reasoning to Fury after dinner, you can be there to listen,” he promised and continued walking to the more populated area of the Helicarrier and more specifically the mesh hall.

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

Kurt stood in front of Fury and explained his train of thought to him, agent Hill, Dr. Banner and Jane. It was just eight o’clock in the evening but the three scientists (well, two scientists and an inventor) were all yawning.

“…and that is why we’re screwed unless you get the Avengers Initiative to work,” ended Kurt with a yawn. “And now I’m going back to sleep so that I’m in working order again in the morning though I may be up at five. My subordinates are going to sleep too so that we may begin work bright and early. Also, send Stark to bed as soon as he gets here, we’ll need him too and I don’t feel like waiting until noon when our chances of survival have dwindled from what they already are.” Kurt turned on his heel, gathered both Bruce and Jane and marched them in front of him to the lab and the break room.

“You have one hour before lights out. You may use that time as you want be it reading, going over the notes or moisturizing your skin like I’m going to but the light’s will go out in one hour,” he instructed. “The beds can be pulled out from the closets, mine is the one closest to the door.” Both Bruce and Jane opened their mouths to argue that they weren’t children and didn’t need a bedtime but Kurt cut them off. “Bruce, you’ve probably been awake sine you left Calcutta and that can’t be good for your heart beat levels. Jane, you were woken up Gaga knows what time this morning. I need both of you sharp tomorrow and that happens only if you get enough sleep.” He strutted to the restroom as he yawned again. The six hours he’d slept had helped but weren’t nearly enough. Ugh… he had bags under his eyes and a few zits were already forming on his forehead after not having washed his face since his last shower.

After he was finished with his moisturizing he returned to the break room to find Bruce out cold on the bed furthest from the door and Jane reading on the bed next to his. It seemed Jane wasn’t exactly comfortable with Bruce’s Jolly Green Problem and Bruce wasn’t about to force himself on someone, more than like he hadn’t even talked with Jane since she found out about Hulk, certain he was going to be rejected like he’d been by everyone before.

That was something Kurt would have to work on since he needed his team to be comfortable around each other so that they could brain storm ideas. It didn’t matter if they didn’t like each other but they would have to at least respect each other. He was sure he already had Jane and Bruce’s respect after he explained his reasoning to Fury and he respected both of his subordinates (he didn’t respect Tony Stark himself but he respected his inventions) but now he needed to create the respect between them and Stark. That was going to be problematic if Bruce isolated himself and Jane let him.

“He say anything?” Kurt nodded to Bruce’s sleeping form.

Jane just shook her head. Ah! So she wasn’t feeling like talking either, probably contemplating their future. Depressing stuff that is, at least today, knowing what they know. Deciding to ignore her for the moment Kurt changed to the pajamas S.H.I.E.L.D. oh-so-kindly provided for them (nowhere near his normal silk pajamas but then neither was the bed or the sheets) and climbed to bed. Jane put the book down and snuggled under her comforter. “Well, g’night then,” she said.

“Yes, I suppose. Sweet dreams,” Kurt mumbled and the lights went out, leaving them in total darkness and to fall asleep to the Helicarrier’s gentle humming.

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

Kurt woke up at five like he said he would but both Bruce and Jane were already up. Bruce was in the restroom and Jane was getting dressed when Kurt stretched. 

“Morning,” he called and was rewarded with a small smile and a “good morning” from Jane. Bruce walked out of the restroom cleanly shaven and nodded his greeting to Kurt. “Do you remember the way to mesh hall or do you want to wait for me?” asked Kurt as he headed to the restroom to wash his teeth.

“I’ll wait for you,” Jane said when Bruce shrugged and left. Kurt gave her a smile and closed the door behind him. In fifteen minutes he was ready and led Jane to the mesh hall where the night shifters were eating dinner. They found Bruce sitting alone in an isolated corner and Kurt cheerfully ignored the perplexed look Bruce gave him when he sat down.

He spent the breakfast happily regaling his two subordinates with tales from high school and glee in particular but fell silent when agent Romanov came to fetch them, saying Loki had been secured and that they had a new ally. Her eyes lingered on Kurt meaningfully, conveying that Thor had arrived like they had predicted. 

“Why don’t you go ahead?” Kurt suggested. “I’ll get Stark’s PDD with my dad’s notes so that he can start studying as soon as he gets here.”

“Come to the bridge then,” Romanov nodded and led the two scientists away.

Kurt skipped to the lab and turned to go to the bridge. He was in a cheerful mood, no matter that he might be a slave in twelve hours. Whistling “Whistling while you work”, he earned a couple of smiles from the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who were waking up and heading to breakfast. Though he quit whistling when he reached the corridor that lead to the bridge where Fury usually stood.

“Well, if he could do that he could achieve heavy-ion fusion at any reactor on the planet,” Kurt heard Bruce say.

“Finally. Someone who speaks English.” And that was Tony Stark.

“Is that what just happened?” Poor Captain Rogers. He probably didn’t understand the technical speech. He was a soldier through and through and had only the basic education of 1930’s.

“ It's good to meet you, Doctor Banner. Your work on anti-electronic collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you - lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster.”

Kurt’s good mood faded. He didn’t know what possessed the man to say something as insensitive as that so he descended to his subordinate’s defense.

“And that Mr. Stark was completely out of line!” he snapped, drawing everyone’s attention to himself but he kept his eyes on Stark. “Also, Bruce isn’t here to join the Avengers, he’s here to track the cube, so if you could, please stay professional.”

Stark’s eyebrows were in his (receding, Kurt noticed) hairline. “And who are you, kid?”

“Agent Kurt Hummel and the leader of the team that’s tracking the cube, aka. at the moment your superior,” sniffed Kurt with his arms crossed across his chest. Then he thrust the PDD to Stark. “That’s the other half of the briefing, read it, learn it, apply it.” He turned to the other people gathered around the table. “Good morning agent Hill. Good to meet you again, Captain Rogers.” Finally he turned to Thor and smiled, intent on keeping his emotions in check. “Thor, wonderful to see you again.”


	3. Chapter two

Thor was getting bored of hearing these mortals talk of the Tesseract and Burt Hummel and his brother like he wasn’t there or that he couldn’t understand them. Also, the brown haired mortal female scientist who had arrived with Lady Natasha was eyeing him like Sif had taken to looking at him since he had returned from Earth: like he was a beautiful piece of jewelry to be owned, and he didn’t like it. Kurt had never looked at him like that at least.

When the man of Iron (silly name, Thor thought, the man wasn’t of iron, he was just as mortal as everyone else in the room, sometimes even more so in case with the son of Roger) shook hands with the male scientist and said something of a rage monster, the most beautiful voice defended the son of Banner. It was the voice he’d dreamed of for the last seven years and when he turned, his mortal was there. Kurt had not changed much. He was a little taller than last time and his face was more defined and his hair was all natural without the coif. His eyes, oh how Thor had longed to see them in real life as often as in his dreams, were now burning with protectiveness as he disciplined the man of Iron like the others in the room seemed afraid to do for some reason. Thor had missed Kurt’s eyes more than any other part of him and had remembered what Kurt had said about his cape and red not suiting him. He searched far and wide for the right shade for almost a year after returning to Asgard and finally he found a fabric in close enough shade to Kurt’s eyes. Though now that he saw them again he knew his cape didn’t do them justice.  
Kurt greeted the other mortals in the room before turning to Thor and smiling. Thor had no idea how such a small action could light up the room so much but then he supposed, seeing someone you loved smile for the first time in a long time was much like watching the sun rise. “Thor, wonderful to see you again,” he said but didn’t make a move to greet him more familiarly.

Thor didn’t let this bother him as he stepped forward and lifted his small mortal to a hug. “Kurt!” he boomed happily. “I have missed you since I returned to Asgard! Heimdal would not tell me more than that you still lived!” Inwardly he rejoiced when Kurt returned the hug even if it was a little stiffly.

“You two have time to catch up later,” Director Fury, the black man with the eye patch (silently Thor wondered if an eye patch was the sign of a great leader as his father had also lost an eye), interrupted them. Instantly Kurt let go and Thor was forced to put Kurt back to the floor. “Stark, I hoped-“

“Shh! This is interesting!” the man of Iron interrupted and continued watching intently at the device Kurt had given him. “I’ll join the search team!”

“I’d start with that stick of his,” son of Roger pointed out. “It may be magical but it works an awful lot like a H.Y.D.R.A. weapon.”

“I don't know about that, but it is powered by the Cube. And I like to know how Loki used it to turn three of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys,” Director Fury snapped and confused Thor. What did monkeys have to do with anything?

“Monkeys? I do not understand-“ he began but the son of Roger interrupted him.

“I do!” he declared triumphantly with a grin. “I understood that reference,” he continued proudly.

“You will as soon as you have a couple days off after saving Earth,” Kurt patted Thor on the shoulder. “Though first you have to see things like Romeo & Juliet, Gone With the Wind and probably Pearl Harbor. By the way, Rogers? You’re joining Thor during these movie sessions because it’s a crime you don’t know who Vivian Leigh, Judy Garland and Julie Andrews are. Personally, I think Fury should have given you a movie set because nothing beats the visuals they give from each time. Of course they could’ve been documentary if he wanted to be particularly educational but I myself find them rather dry,” Kurt said dryly. “Now, we shall return to the lab and begin to seriously search the cube. Fury, give Thor and Rogers a movie to watch, they should be able to pick up small things from it, such as don’t walk across the street when the red light is burning or something.”

Thor saw Kurt herd the scientists to the hall he came from and couldn’t help smiling. Kurt would make an excellent father one day. Thor’s heart just ached that there would never be small blond godlings with Kurt’s eyes running around. Especially with how distant Kurt had been today. (Then again, if he remembered correctly, human males could not bear children…)

Lady Natasha snapped her fingers in front of his face and Thor jerked. “God, I didn’t believe Barton when he said you two fell in love in like two days but I can’t deny that look on your face.”

Thor turned to her. “Whatever do you mean? Kurt is wonderful.”

“His boyfriend thinks so too,” the son of Coul said behind Lady Natasha and Thor felt his world shatter.

Kurt had moved on. Like he had asked him to but hoped he wouldn’t and would be waiting for him with open arms when he returned. But no. Kurt had found someone else to love and cherish and hold and kiss. He wouldn’t push his feelings on Kurt but he doubted they would ever go away either. He could be Kurt’s… what? Brother? Friend? Confidant? He didn’t know but he did know he’d be there as long as Kurt lived, maybe he’d even visit Kurt in Niflheim after Kurt died… Kurt was not going to die fighting, it was not in his nature so that took Valhalla out of the question.

“He did as he promised,” he finally said aloud to the mortals. “He has lived his life to the fullest. It does not matter that I love him, I just want him to be happy. And if that is with someone else…”

Lady Natasha nodded in understanding. “There’s nothing you can do about it.”

“You are a brave man,” added the son of Roger.

Thor shook his head. “No. Simply my friends, I am in love. Just like Jack Dawson.”

“Who’s Jack Dawson?” Steve frowned and Lady Natasha started to laugh.

“Hummel showed you Titanic?” she giggled behind her hand.

“Yes and I’d like to see some other “movie”,” nodded Thor. It might take his thoughts away from Kurt for a while. “In Asgard we have nothing like these TVs of yours.”

“Yes, let’s see where we can find an unoccupied room where you two can’t cause too much damage should the movie make you emotional,” Lady Natasha agreed and rolled her eyes as she started to lead the two super strong men away, down a different hallway than the one Kurt had disappeared into. Thor looked down that hallway one last time before following her.

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

Kurt herded his team to the lab trying to sidestep Jane’s inquires about Thor, how he met him, what their relationship was like, what had they done. Those things were exactly what he didn’t want to think about because then he’d end up imagining how things could and might be. (The “cheater” scenario kept replaying in his mind over and over again with slightly different variations. In one they all died in a true Romeo & Juliet fashion and in another one he lived alone the rest of his long life, turning bitter and becoming alcoholic and keeping tabs on Blaine just to see him find new love, get married, have children and succeed in life.) Stark was still completely submerged in Burt’s notes but he was skillfully avoiding colliding with anyone, even when Jane enthusiastically skipped right in front of him to ask him what he knew of Thor. Bruce was shooting disbelieving glances alternately between Kurt and Stark, like he couldn’t believe he’d found two men who didn’t care for the ‘other guy.’

As the lab doors closed behind the group Kurt shooed Jane and Bruce back to work, sat Stark down in front of a table and retrieved Loki’s staff/scepter/weapon/stick/thing.

He left it to the others to examine because he didn’t do that kind of scientific research, he was an inventor, damn it, not a scientist, as to almost quote Dr. McCoy. He mentally snorted. Now his subconsciousness was filled with pop culture he wanted Thor to understand.

The man was just like he was two years, four months and three days ago. Blond, brash and loud. Bold and beautiful. He hadn’t hesitated in hugging Kurt nor had he wanted to let go of Kurt when Fury told them to. The signs were all there, pointing at the blaring truth that Thor’s feelings hadn’t changed during his seven year stint in Asgard. Kurt wasn’t sure whether he should laugh or cry. He’d been so worried that Thor had moved on from him that he’d gone and got himself a boyfriend. And now that it was evident Thor hadn’t… Kurt wanted to continue where they left off last time. But he couldn’t, because of Blaine. Sweet, gentlemanly Blaine who had the patience of a saint and could be as courageous as Harry freaking Potter. Hell, he’d been possessive of Blaine when that smirky meerkat-face had flirted with Blaine last fall. There was no denying his feelings for either Blaine or Thor.

Maybe he was looking at the problem from the wrong perspective? He’d never know how much they liked (loved) him and he couldn’t distinguish which he loved more.

A line from a movie floated to the front of his thoughts: “Maybe you should choose the one who makes you a better person?” He snorted out loud this time. He’d seen the movie once and had watched it simply because he had a celebrity crush on Chris Pine. But… how would he be able even use that advice as his time with Thor had been so brief? And it wasn’t like Blaine made him go out and work in a soup kitchen (Kurt practically died at the idea, his skin and nails would not appreciate it).

His thoughts were going in circles and he couldn’t come up with an answer. Kurt sighed and looked up. Blinking in surprise, he realized he was in front of the room that held the cage above the airlock. If he knew Fury at all, this would be where Loki was kept, not that Kurt understood why. Loki’s powers weren’t physical like the Hulk’s and Loki probably would have no problem getting out of the thing using his magic, they had nothing to restrain it with after all. And he was the god of mischief and a trickster. He probably had a plan of some sort that wouldn’t bode well for S.H.I.E.L.D. Not that Kurt particularly cared as long as innocents weren’t killed in the crossfire.

“You look like my brother Loki like that,” Thor had once said when Kurt had arched an eyebrow. Kurt wanted… to open the door and go finally meet Thor’s brother, the Norse god he’d actually identified with before knowing they were real. According to every source Loki had had a difficult childhood, being bullied for different reasons. Kurt remembered Thor telling him how Asgardians we pretty set in their gender roles and males did not learn magic. Men were expected to be warriors (it didn’t matter if it was on a physical battlefield or in the battlefield of economy) and women were expected to learn magic (be it to heal or amuse people). Loki had gone against that as he hadn’t learned to be a warrior (well, a traditional one) and had instead learned “tricks”.

Carefully he opened the door and slipped inside, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him. He needed to hear if someone was coming and have the possibility of deniability.

Kurt took in the man in the class cage. He was reasonably tall, just an inch or two taller than Kurt, but significantly shorter than Thor. He had black hair slicked back, almost like Tom Felton had in the first two Harry Potter movies, except that it was longer and freer in the back. The blue eyes flashed with righteous anger and betrayal though they were easily covered by madness and bloodlust. Loki’s skin was pale, much like anyone after a long winter and this, Kurt suspected, was a side effect of Loki’s heritage. The cut of his clothes was completely wrong for Loki, as he was skinny in an almost emaciated way but at the same time Kurt could see his power, he was like a starved animal that would fight to the last to get the food. He reminded Kurt of a cat he’d saved from the streets when he was younger. Poor O’Mally had been starved for food and affection and had quickly latched on to Kurt after a couple of days.

A plan started to form in the back of Kurt’s mind. Who had taken him in and returned his will to live? Blaine. If someone could teach Loki to appreciate and love humans then Blaine could. And Blaine couldn’t resist a hopeless case, which had been proven time and again by him.

Feeling encouraged by these vague plans Kurt shifted forward to Loki’s line of sight. “Hello,” he said, proud that his voice was steady. “You must be Loki.”

“And you’re Thor’s human,” answered Loki with a deceptive smile.

“I suppose I am,” shrugged Kurt. “But then again, he’s been referred to as “my” Thor too on numerous occasions too. For that matter, so have you and every other Asgardian as I called dibs on any information and missions that involved you guys. But I must say, you’re not really my type. I have a feeling we’re a little too alike for a healthy relationship.”

“Oh really?” Loki laughed. “You claim similarity with me?”

“Just a little,” Kurt agreed. “We’re both sarcastic and like to manipulate and boss people around but prefer it when people take care of us. You could say we’re pushy bottoms if you want to give it a modern term. Of course, I’m not quite as mischievous or as homicidal as you, even if it has come close a couple of times.”

Loki arched an eyebrow and Kurt saw the resemblance Thor had mentioned. In response he arched an eyebrow right back. Surprise flashed in Loki’s eyes and he crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back to get a better look at Kurt. Kurt imitated the pose perfectly and swiped his hair away from his eyes. A small smile formed on Loki’s face.

“Maybe my brother isn’t quite as incompetent as I thought if he decided on you,” he finally sniffed. “And maybe your race isn’t quite as doomed.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. For every sarcastic, fashionable and intelligent gay guy there are at least a thousand someone else who aren’t quite as superior as I am,” Kurt snarked playfully. “Neanderthals the lot of them.”

“Asgard is just the same,” nodded Loki with a roll of his eyes. “Brawn over brain every time.”

“So Thor told me,” Kurt awkwardly answered. He wasn’t sure what Loki’s reaction would be to the name. “Even if it wasn’t quite as bluntly put as you just said.”

The reaction was immediate. Loki stiffened and lost his somewhat friendly air. Kurt hastened to continue.

“You know, when I first met him, he couldn’t stop talking about you. How wise and great you are. I liked that because I always liked you most of the mythological Norse gods. Even after you lied to Thor about Odin dying he was happy that you were in a position to look after Asgard. He told me he was happy it was you and not him because he’d come to realize he wasn’t ready to be king but that you had always shown more patience and foresight in politics than he had. He said he had looked up to you since you were children and how he wished he could be more like you,” Kurt explained softly and fell silent, giving Loki time to absorb everything he’d just said.

After a moment Loki spoke up. “Why are you here, Burtson?”

“On the Helicarrier? Or here talking to you?” inquired Kurt with a chuckle.

“Both.”

“I’m on the Helicarrier because you put my dad under some kind of mind whammy and they needed me to decode his notes. If they hadn’t, I’d be home with my boyfriend. Don’t bother to try to use that information against Thor, I’m certain someone has already told him. And I’m talking to you because I’m done with my part in the project. The rest of them are scientists-“

“And you are an inventor. “Scientists spend their time trying to prove their own or someone else’s theories, occasionally inventing something in the process. An inventor on the other hand doesn’t care for theories, he just concentrates on making the things he invents.” Your father says it often.”

Kurt laughed. “That he does. But I’m also here because you must be bored in there and they probably don’t trust Thor enough to let him here alone with you. Either they don’t trust Thor not to free you or you not to talk Thor into freeing you. Not that you probably need it. More than likely you could get out of there if you wanted to. I won’t even bother to try to understand your reason as to why you’ve let yourself be captured but I’m sure you have some sort of plan.”

Loki flashed Kurt a grin full of teeth as confirmation. “Should my plan work and I have Earth by evening, I’ll be sure to keep you alive, chosen of my brother. You are a fascinating human.”

“Thank you, I do try,” Kurt replied dryly. “May I make suggestion though? Fire your seamstress. They don’t know what they’re doing judging by the cut of your clothes. Also, add a dash of dark brown to your clothes, it will work in tying the black, green and gold together.”

Kurt slipped back to the hallway and allowed himself a small smile. Loki was exactly like the person Blaine needed.


	4. Chapter three

Plans began to take shape in Kurt’s mind as he continued his walk, leaving Loki behind him. If Thor, who had started a war, had been sentenced to a powerless existence on Earth, it might be possible that Loki would be sentenced to the same punishment. And then Loki would need a place to stay. Kurt doubted S.H.I.E.L.D. would want Loki somewhere they couldn’t keep an eye on him. Kurt could offer for Loki to stay with him and Blaine and then make up some work crisis or another, leaving Blaine and Loki to get to know one another. Then, after a few weeks, he’d start dropping hints for feelings that might or might not be there, and finally he’d break up with Blaine for two reasons: Blaine liked Loki and Kurt himself loved Thor. That way they might even stay as friends!

Happy with this plan, Kurt once again focused on his surroundings and peered through the darkened window on his left. A large screen was filled with Snow White in a glass coffin and the mourning seven dwarves. Thor and Captain Rogers were watching it, Thor enthralled and Captain Rogers rather bored. Kurt remembered that the film had been released 1937, a couple of years before the Second World War even began. It was clear that Captain Rogers had seen it in his youth… Then again, it wasn’t an ideal choice for Thor either. The god almost completely ignorant of humans and what they could do. If the god saw too many fantasy movies in the beginning, he might get it in his head humans could do magic and would survive anything.

Kurt wondered who chose the movie but shrugged and entered the dark room, staying by the door. He watched the end of the movie quietly, not drawing attention to himself. He loved Disney but many of their movies were completely unbelievable. No one fell in love when they heard someone sing and then rescue them from death, riding to the sunset with them. That was superficial at best, frivolous at worst and completely against human nature. He admitted he fell in love fairly quickly with Thor but they spent all their time talking, getting to know each other.

As the screen flashed The End Kurt switched the lights back on. “Did you enjoy the movie?” he asked and strutted further into the room.

Both men jerk in surprise and turn to him, Thor with a resigned but happy smile, Captain Rogers with wide eyes and a polite smile.

“Kurt!” Thor said and got up from the sofa. “What are you doing here, my – friend?”

“Well, I’ve got an idea but I need to know if Loki could get the same kind of punishment as you did when you last were on Earth? You know, binding your powers and taking away your extra strength,” Kurt specified. “I mean, while Loki wouldn’t really benefit from spending time with me, he’d certainly benefit from knowing Blaine.”  
Thor seemed to think about it. “It might be. Maybe I could persuade father to do it.”

Captain Rogers, on the other hand, was more interested in the other thing Kurt had said. “What did you mean Loki wouldn’t benefit from your company but rather from your boyfriend’s?”

“Loki and I have the same base personality and while I’m not as mischievous or homicidal as he is, we’re, from what I’ve seen and heard, both…” ‘Oh my Gaga, I can’t give Captain America a heart attack by speaking of sex quite as freely as I’m used to! I can’t say pushy bottom!’ “The nagging housewife type! You know, we like to be taken care of but at the same time demand that we can make our own choices and sometimes even other people’s choices for them, especially our partners.” Kurt felt proud that he could explain it without even alluding to sex.

Thor nodded his support to Kurt’s analysis of his brother. “Loki has always liked making decisions and ordering people around, especially those taking care of his needs.”

Captain Rogers still looked thoughtful. “What does your boyfriend have to do with it?”

“Blaine is hard to manipulate, at least for people who don’t know him. He’s more likely to do what you want if you ask outright rather than try to manipulate him,” Kurt told him. “I mean, for the first five months I knew him I tried to manipulate him into dating me but he went around chasing Gap employees for Valentine’s day. Mind you, when he finally asked me out, it was after I sang my heart out for a dead bird,” he rolled his eyes.

Thor looked at him in confusion. “He didn’t like you at first?”

“Oh, no, no,” Kurt shook his head with a smile. “We were friends from the beginning. I was going through a bad patch when we met and Blaine tried to help me with a problem at school. After that he felt I needed a mentor more than a boyfriend and friend zoned me.”

“I do not understand the term friend zone,” Captain Rogers tilted his head.

“It means than one person desires to start a romantic relationship with someone who has decided that they are just friends. It’s a difficult situation to break out of and most dating advisers say that it’s better establish sexual interest while becoming friends rather than becoming friends and then starting to make sexual advances,” Kurt explained. “I needed a friend the minute I met Blaine but I wanted to date him thirty minutes after. Unfortunately he’d already friend zoned me which led to the agonizing five months.”

“Oh, okay,” Captain Rogers nodded with a satisfied smile. “And to answer your original question, I have seen Snow White before so there was nothing new for me in it. I just can’t believe it has survived until now.”

Kurt smiled. “Disney’s classics are great and all, but wait until you see The Pirates of the Caribbean or Shrek. Personally I’ve never particularly liked Snow White as the love story in it simply is too… shallow.”

“Oh, yes, I quite agree Mr. Hummel,” Captain Rogers nodded.

“Call me Kurt, Mr. Hummel has always been my dad.”

“Kurt then, you must call me Steve, I was Rogers before the serum and now I find I’m either Steve or Captain America and I’d prefer to be Steve to friends,” Captain Rogers – or rather Steve – offered. “Thor, you may also call me Steve.”

“Very well, Steve,” agreed Thor.

“Now, I’d like to go see how the tracking of the cube goes, excuse me,” Steve said and left the movie room.

Kurt turned to Thor who hadn’t taken his eyes off of him. “Hi,” he smiled.

“Hello,” returned Thor, reaching to touch Kurt’s face but stopping just a hairbreadth away before clenching his and to a fist and letting it fall.

Kurt’s smile turned slightly bitter. “Someone told you about Blaine, didn’t they?” He received a nod in confirmation. “It’s funny, you two are completely opposite in looks yet so similar in personality. He’s everything I expected in a boyfriend if you don’t count his height and you… well, I didn’t like blonds before you, you know? Nor did I think long hair or beards were sexy but on you they make you… ruggedly handsome.” He was quiet for a minute, taking in Thor’s visage. “I used to think these sorts of situations were romantic but they’re really not. Being in love with two people is so damn painful.” He reached up to stroke Thor’s cheek. The god closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. “I don’t want to hurt either of you… but my dating Blaine hurts you and if I just up and dumped Blaine it would hurt him…” He retracted his hand. “Say, do you want lunch? I’ve got half an hour before I suppose I should get back to the lab… We could catch up properly.”

Thor’s smile returned. “I’d like that. Do you suppose we could have pancakes? I especially liked them at your house right after I woke up.”

Kurt laughed. “Pancakes are primarily a breakfast food but we’ll see if we can find you pizza or burritos as the main course. But I’m fairly sure you can have pancakes for desert.”

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

The lunch had been spent exchanging news (Burt’s marriage to Carole, Kurt’s stint in the Warblers, Blaine following Kurt to McKinley, Kurt’s rejection from NYADA, Kurt’s acceptance to Parson, Thor explaining what had happened with Loki, Bifrost’s rebuilding, uncertain political climate all over the nine realms) and now they had followed agent Romanov back to the lab.

Director Fury seemed to be confronted by Stark, Bruce and Steve about S.H.I.E.L.D. using the Tesseract to build weapons. Kurt had known of course, the computer programs S.H.I.E.L.D. used were his own after all. He’d been sabotaging them since phase one.

“Did you know about this?” Bruce asked from him and agent Romanov, clearly agitated.

“Duh, been sabotaging them since they started using my programming,” Kurt shrugged and earned a glare from Fury.

“You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment, doctor?” agent Romanov ignored Kurt and his enraged protest of removing anyone from his team.

“I was in Calcutta, I was pretty well removed,” countered Bruce with a snort and an appreciative glance at Kurt. His team leader wasn’t going to take shit from anyone and wouldn’t accept anyone giving hard time for his team either.

“Loki’s manipulating you,” agent Romanov tried to explain.

“And you’ve been doing what exactly?” Bruce chuckled sarcastically.

“You didn’t come here because I bat my eyelashes at you,” said agent Romanov, trying to stay calm.

“Yes, and I’m not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy. I’d like to know why S.H.I.E.L.D. is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction,” Bruce told her and turned the computer screen to face her, Kurt and Thor.

To everyone’s surprise (and Kurt’s private horror) Fury pointed at Thor. “Because of him.”

“Me?” echoed Thor, disbelief clear in his voice and posture.

“Two years ago we had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled an entire forest. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, out-gunned,” Fury tried to defend himself, turning to face everyone in turn.

“My people want nothing but peace with your realm,” Thor growled, tensing up.

“But you’re not the only people out there, are you? And, you’re not the only threat. The world’s filling up with people who can’t be matched, they can’t be controlled.”

“Hem, hem, excuse me,” Kurt cleared his throat sweetly and Stark cracked a laugh. “But am I the only one who remembers all the conflicts “control” has caused? Fury, you should learn one fact about people, and that is that they can’t be controlled, especially smaller groups. Either they stand up against you as a united front or someone from the masses stands up for them. Do you remember what happened with the mutant registration act? Hello, even the ancient Greeks and Romans couldn’t control their slaves and slavery was an accepted part of the time period, and those slaves were just as mortal as their masters. In my personal opinion you should just treat them as people. If they break the law, give them the same kind of punishment you’d give to someone without any powers but don’t you go making examples or toy soldiers out of them.”

“Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies. It is the signal to all the realms that the Earth is ready for a higher form of war,” Thor declared seriously.

“A higher form?” Steve asked alarmed.

“You forced our hand. We had to come up with something,” Fury rationalized.

“A nuclear deterrent, cause that always calms everything down,” Stark butted in.

With an annoyed air, Fury turned to him. “Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark?”

“I’m sure if he still made weapons, Stark would be neck deep-“ Steve started.

“Wait! Wait! Hold on! How is this about me?” snapped Stark.

“I’m sorry, isn’t everything?” Steve snapped back at him.

“I thought humans were more evolved than this,” Thor joined the fight but regretted it the moment Kurt cleared his throat behind him. “As a species. Some are obviously more evolved than others,” he offered Kurt who smiled his thanks.

“Excuse me, did we come to your planet and blow things up?” Fury snarled at Thor.

“Are you all really that naïve? S.H.I.E.L.D. monitors potential threats,” agent Romanov huffed.

“And Captain America and Kurt are on the threat watch list?” Bruce huffed back.

“Please, I could take over the world in a week if I wanted to,” Kurt snorted humorously. “But I have no intentions to, too much paperwork and no chances at performing.” To him this whole thing was rather entertaining. But then again, he knew Thor wouldn’t let anything happen to him (hopefully) if a physical fight broke out. Though soon he’d have to do something…

“We all are,” agent Romanov specified to Bruce.

Stark turned to Steve with disbelief. “You’re on that list? Are you above or below angry bees?”

“I swear to God, Stark, one more crack…” Steve gritted out.

“Threatening! I feel Threatened!” Stark complained and Steve took a step towards him with a raised fist.

“Guys? I think we should take the argument away from the emotionally manipulating scepter,” Kurt finally broke into the all out argument. “No offence to anyone but at the moment we’re, well, you’re, close to the point of explosion.”

“Stay out of this Hummel,” Fury barked at the inventor.

“Fine,” Kurt smiled serenely and decided to let his boss and co-workers antagonize each other to the point where they’d start the physical fight. “Jane,” he addressed the scientist who had just arrived. “Could you be a dear and backup everything on these computers? I have a feeling they won’t survive the actual fight. After that, I’d encourage you to go as far as you can from here. This could turn ugly and fast.”

The female scientist just nodded, too intimidated by the arguing people to speak up, and started the backup process. When she’s done, the door just closed behind her Bruce saw something on the screen.

“Oh my God.”

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

The explosion sent Kurt flying to the wall behind him, his head taking a hit that blurred his eyes and the sound of the explosion leaving a tinnitus in his ears. For a moment nothing made sense and he couldn’t concentrate on anything, much less on the face that hovered above him. The man had blond hair and beautiful blue eyes and he was holding Kurt as gently but firmly as possible.

Slowly the tinnitus receded and Kurt could hear the man.

“Kurt! Kurt, can you hear me? Answer me Kurt!”

Kurt blinked a few time to clear his head. “Thor…” he choked out. “Others…?”

Thor quickly looked around. “The explosion scattered us. Director Fury was the only one who stayed in this room beside ourselves. But everyone was moving when I last saw them.”

This made sense to Kurt. Most of them were used to this kind of situations, explosions and all. They knew instinctively to protect themselves. “Oh… good…” But what about Bruce? The man was a scientist… and a doctor… not an assassin or soldier or hero… The Hulk would keep him alive… but if he Hulked out in the Helicarrier, everyone would be in danger. And no one on the thing could hold him… expect maybe Thor. Kurt forced himself into sitting position and gritted his teeth as his ribs felt sore. “Thor, find Bruce. If he freaks out, we could all die. You’re the only one strong enough that might be able to at least rein him in.”

“Will you be okay?” Thor asked, looking undecided between taking care of Kurt personally and maybe saving everyone on the vessel.

Kurt waved away his concern, even though he was touched. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’ve had worse.” That didn’t seem to reassure Thor in the least. “I’ve got some of dad’s experimental technology in my bag. You don’t have to worry about me.”

Uncertainly Thor nodded and lifted Kurt to his feet. As soon as he let go, Kurt swayed, like he was drunk. Both the noise from the explosion and the hit his head had taken were to blame for this, Kurt knew. His vestibular system was affected. At the moment he could only hope it wasn’t permanent. Seeing Thor’s deepening concern Kurt smiled at him. “Honestly, I’m fine. Go find Bruce. Whoever was behind the explosion is just lucky I wasn’t wearing anything important or they’d be dead,” he joked and got a small smile from Thor for his efforts. Kurt pushed him away. “Now go!”

“As you wish,” Thor said gently and placed a kiss on Kurt forehead, reminiscence of their last goodbye before Thor returned to Asgard. Hopefully this goodbye wouldn’t be as long. Then he was gone in a whirl of glasz cape.

Kurt hobbled painfully to the break room which had fortunately stayed intact in the explosion, using the walls to support himself. His ribs were at least bruised if not cracked. He knew he was of no use if he couldn’t move like he normally would so he had to support his ribs before going to get the status report. He thanked his lucky stars he’d had Jane backup everything on the computers in the lab and had then sent her away, far away, from the lab, so she should be fine for now at least.

He wouldn’t be able to do much for his ribs… he did have some pain medicine in his bag that should take the edge off in less than fifteen minutes but not near enough gauze to help support his ribs. Then he’d go check on Loki, the cell was near and probably the goal of this attack. It might also be better to take his bag to carry the weapons and a few knick-knacks around rather than trust his pockets. He might need his hands free after all. The course of his actions planned, ten minutes later Kurt was outside Loki’s cell room.

Just as he entered, he heard Thor’s shout of denial and saw Loki walk to the control panel with a bloody scepter in his hand. Thor, who was in the cage Loki had inhabited, was looking something to Kurt and Loki’s left before turning to glare at Loki. His eyes caught Kurt’s wide ones behind Loki who seemed to be hesitating at the control panel, not sure whether or not to drop his brother thousands of feet in the air. Kurt opened his mouth to say something but Thor shook his head and flickered his eyes to Kurt’s left.

That was when Loki pushed the button and the airlock opened under Thor. The next push released Thor’s cage, sending it plummeting towards Earth.

Kurt felt like someone had hit him on his chest and robbed him of his breath. He couldn’t get enough air through the suffocating feeling in his throat as he watched the white cage disappear through the clouds. He continued to watch the place where Thor had just been, trying to draw breath.

Only when Loki was blasted right in front of him did he remember that there was something on his left, something that most likely needed medical help. He decided to ignore Loki for now, the god could take care of himself, Kurt entered the room and took a sharp left, finding a bleeding Phil Coulson on the floor.


	5. Chapter four

Kurt closed his eyes and leaned on the railing in the now empty cell room. The medics said his actions saved Phil Coulson’s life… but what kind of life would it be? The scepter had damaged Phil’s spine and the older agent would never walk (or have sex) again. He knew Artie Abrams had adapted to the chair but after his accident, he grew up with it. Artie resented the chair that restricted his movements, he’d wanted to be a dancer after all. Would Phil grow to resent Kurt who had doomed him to the chair rather than letting him die? Who knew, the agent was in ICU at the moment, in surgery to repair some of the damage the scepter had done.

He heard the doors open and close as someone came in but he didn’t open his eyes. The other person in the room didn’t speak either, just walked to the edge of the now closed airlock. They stayed silent, enjoying the peace of the one quiet place on the entire vessel. Kurt knew the other person was most likely either Stark or Steve, everyone else had some important job to do, even Jane had been drafted to do something.

When the doors opened and closed for the second time and a third breathing pattern heard, Kurt finally opened his eyes and surveyed the two heroes in the room.

“Is he married?” Steve finally broke the silence over the three.

“No. There is a, uh, cellist, I think,” answered Stark absently.

“It’s a violinist, her name’s Greta,” Kurt corrected.

“This will be hard for them, then. It is a pity. He’s a good man.”

“He’s an idiot,” Stark snorted.

“Why? For believing?” snapped Steve.

“For taking on Loki alone,” growled Stark back.

“He was doing his job!”

“He was out of his league! He should have waited! He should have-“

“Sometimes you have to do what’s right rather than what’s easy, Tony. You should know that, I know you’ve seen the Harry Potter movies,” interjected Kurt.

“Right. And how did that work for him?” Stark asked sarcastically.

“Is this the first time you’ve had a subordinate permanently injured?” Steve tried to offer sympathy which only riled Stark further.

“We’re not soldiers! You don’t see me marching to Fury’s fife, now do you?

“No, and neither am I. He’s got his share of blame to bear as Loki does, but right now we gotta put that behind us and get this done. Now, Loki needs a power source, if we can put together a list-“

“He made it personal, injuring the one agent all of you had in common other than Fury,” reasoned Kurt. 

“That’s not the point,” Steve said almost patronizingly but waned under Kurt’s withering glare.

“No, that’s exactly the point!” Kurt argued. “If I was the one fighting a superhero team, I’d divide and conquer, which is what he’s done. But I wouldn’t want to do the “final battle,” or whatever it is, to be fought in the dark. I’d want people to see it, to appreciate my power, to know what I’m capable of. Now, what energy source has been in the news quite a lot recently and has everything to do with one of you?”

Kurt stared meaningfully at Tony, especially at his chest where a blue light could be seen emitting.

The realization dawned on Tony’s face before it morphed into anger. “That son of a bitch!”

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” Kurt asked with mild curiosity.

“That fucker is going to use my tower to power that damn cube! That tower’s my… well, not baby, but you get what I mean! It’s mine! I’ve worked years on the arc technology and now this creep is going to rape it? Ooh, when I get my hands on that…”

“Filthy, evil little cockroach?” offered Kurt, examining his nails.

“That filthy, evil, little cockroach, I’ll…. I’ll break that staff in front of his eyes and then sew his mouth shut…” Tony continued muttering profanities under his breath.

“Kurt, do you want to come? Defend Earth, I mean?” Steve asked the teen, uncertain. Kurt was above eighteen so in a way he could be drafted in army but he also had little formal training and no superpowers to help him… Then again, neither did Tony…

Kurt smiled at him sweetly. “I thought you’d never ask.”

“Then suit up.”

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

Kurt had the basic gadgets his dad preferred he didn’t leave home without. They included a freeze ray, a laser gun that was modeled after the ones in Star Wars (original trilogy), his hover platforms, a couple of shield bracelets (one for physical objects, one for different energy beams that did include laser, Kurt wasn’t so sure about magic though) and a pair of night vision/infrared/binoculars, all made to look like a pair of regular sunglasses. They might be enough to get him out of the future battle alive but he’d told Steve he’d rather help keep civilians out of harm’s way than charge with the rest of them. That way, he had even less of a chance of getting killed…

Scrunching his nose, he pulled on his mandatory S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform, the dark blue material settling over him like second skin. He never could stand uniforms, especially if he was the one wearing them. Though he had to admit, Blaine had looked great in the Dalton uniform…

He shook his head and placed his guns to their holsters on his hips, tied his utility pouch to his thigh and covered his shield bracelets with his sleeves. The sunglasses/night vision goggles/infrared glasses/binoculars were lifted from his eyes to his hair (this was so… early 2000’s…) and his hover platforms were easily carried in his hands for now.

Without looking back he left to the hangar bay to meet up with Steve and agents Romanov and newly un-mind-whammied Barton. Tony was going to fly to his tower to get a new suit as his current one would need extensive repairs that they had no time to do right now. Together with the other three Kurt walked through the hangar bay to the jet closest to the door.

“Everyone, stay calm, we’re taking over this ship!” Kurt gleefully announced to the jet pilot as they entered. “Well, jet.”

“Ay, avast,” Barton chuckled and went to hover behind Kurt.

“You can’t fly this jet!” the pilot protested tough he seemed to be biting back laughter. “You’ll never make it out of the bay.”

“Son, I’m Captain America, understand?” Steve sighed. “I know Barton can fly this thing. Could you please get out? We have the world to save.”

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

The plane jostled when Kurt saw Loki shoot them with the scepter and they started spiraling down to the civilian filled streets. He tried to ignore the jostling as he finally clasped the hover platforms to his shoes, readying for the battle they had just entered. Agent Romanov had handed him an ear piece earlier so that he could better help the civilians to safety, knowing where everyone was with their particular enemies. The Cap had explained to Kurt what should and should not be done and Kurt in turn had argued only with using subway tunnels to secure civilians. They weren’t sturdy enough and should there be any overflow, they’d be where the water would go… drowning most of the people down there (privately Kurt admitted he might have watched a little too many movies but shh, don’t tell the Cap that…).  
His instructions were clear; evacuate as many civilians as possible to the safety of south or mid Manhattan, leaving the Midtown Center as the battleground. As soon as they landed (not too softly but still whole) and got the door open, Kurt took to the air, shooting every Chitauri he saw. The closest police officer he could find was standing on 40th street, staring in disbelief at the aliens, not even answering the frantic woman next to him.

“Sir,” Kurt said somewhat calmly, shooting another Chitauri vessel down, “you need to arrange a perimeter at 39th. It’ll give us the space we need to win this battle with hopefully little to none civilian casualties. Also, keep the evacuees off of the streets. My suggestion would be to use the basements but get as many as you can out of Midtown Central, especially from around Stark Tower, which you can see, is the center of this attack.”

“Y-yes sir,” the young cop nodded and started talking to his radio, telling his superior that there were people taking care of the things flying over the city and that they had requested civilian evacuation.

“Please, sir, what’s happening?” the older woman, with apparently what was her grandson, asked Kurt as the cop started jogging to the cluster of police cars down the street.

“We are under alien attack, ma’am,” Kurt gritted his teeth, he needed to get back to giving orders to the police. Also, Cap and Tony were speaking in his earpiece, talking about the big, new chitauri. “We have a team trying to contain it but as at the moment we’re worried about civilian casualties we can’t do our job properly. Now please, get behind the perimeter the police are organizing and then get inside, preferably to some basement. You should be safe there. Also, please spread the word to people you suspect might be in Midtown Central area.” He turned and took to air again, this time heading to the Grand Central Station. There he took over the central radio system, cutting off the music. “Attention everyone, please evacuate to the lower levels of the Central. Please remember that going outside at the moment is unsafe and you go outside on your own risk. If you know anyone else in the Midtown Central, please contact them and ask them to evacuate to the closest basement or to go south of 39th street where it should be safe. Thank you for your cooperation.”

He was preparing to take off again when he heard his name being called and turned to the fleeing masses. A familiar gelled hair caught his attention, making his heart leap in his chest.

“Blaine!” he called and descended back to the ground, arms open for his shorter boyfriend who took the invitation and fell into them.

“Kurt! Thank God you’re safe,” he heard Blaine mutter to his neck, and pressed a reassuring kiss to his forehead, so reminiscent of how Thor had said goodbye to him just hours before. “What’s happening? All those explosions and then you on the intercom, telling people to head to the lower levels…”

Kurt took Blaine’s face between his hands. “Blaine, you have to listen to me. New York, or more specifically Manhattan and Midtown Central are under alien attack. You know how I work for the government? Well, we’re trying to contain the threat… well, others are. I don’t claim to possess such skills that I would survive a frontal   
assault so I took over helping civilians get to safety.”

Blaine looked him in the eyes. “You don’t seem surprised we’re not alone in the universe,” he finally said.

“I’m not,” answered Kurt. “Six months before we met, a person from another realm crash landed in my backyard. We were attracted to each other but before we could do anything, he had to go home. He’s one of the people fighting the Chitauri whom his brother hired to take over the Earth. Blaine, do you remember what to do in an attack situation?”

Blaine nodded numbly but stayed quiet. “Good, follow the rules and don’t come out until the explosions have ended. I probably won’t be home until tomorrow though, I’ve got to go back to HQ for debriefing and medical attention should I be injured.” He smacked a kiss to Blaine’s lips. “Stay safe and remember I love you,” he whispered and untangled himself from Blaine, ignoring the few people taking video of him, taking a couple of running steps before leaping and flying out from one of the Central’s windows.

Once outside he saw the Avengers assemble in front of the building he came just out of, Thor landing just before him.

“What’s the story upstairs?” Cap asked Thor as Kurt stumbled.

“The power surrounding the Cube is impenetrable,” accounted Thor.

“Nothing’s impenetrable, you just have to have the right thing to penetrate with,” countered Kurt.

“Nothing we have can penetrate it,” Stark said over the intercom right into Kurt’s ear.

“What about the scepter? If it wields the Cube or whatever, it should be able to pass through the shield,” Kurt theorized, wincing. He hated theories as they were just that, theories. “But at the moment we have to deal with this vermin.”

“I agree with the kid, how do we do this?” Romanov said, looking around the skyline she could see.

“As a team,” the Cap shrugged.

“I have unfinished business with Loki,” growled Thor to which Barton told him to get in line.

“Save it,” the Cap told them. “Loki’s gonna keep this fight focused on us and that’s what we need. Without him these things could run wild. We got Stark up top, he’s gonna need us to-“

The cap was interrupted by a scooter driving up to them, Bruce in the seat, and Kurt couldn’t contain his smile. The scientist had grown on him during their brief acquaintance. Bruce got off the scooter and walked over to them.

“So, this all seems horrible,” he said sarcastically.

“I’ve seen worse,” commented Romanov, looking at Bruce up and down.

“Sorry.”

“No, we could – use a little worse,” Romanov admitted.

“Stark, we got him,” the Cap told Tony through the intercom.

“Banner?”

“Just like you said,” the Cap agreed.

“Then tell him to suit up. I’m bringing the party to you.”

Everyone gathered there turned to look down Park Avenue and saw Tony fly around a corner, being tailed by a massive Chitauri vessel that reminded Kurt somewhat of the legendary sea monster Leviathan.

“I-I don’t see how that’s a party,” Romanov stammered.

“Really?” asked Thor with a grin. “Because in Asgard, that exactly is a party.”

Bruce took a couple of steps towards the Leviathan before Cap spoke to him. “Doctor Banner, now might be a really good time for you to get angry.”

Bruce turned to them and smirked. “That’s my secret, Cap. I’m always angry,” he said and turned back to the Leviathan, buffing up and turning green in the process. And just in time too as the Leviathan was right in Hulk’s line of punching which sent the Leviathan to the ground and almost having it’s rear fly over it’s head. Tony shot some explosives at an unshielded place, making the Leviathan explode. Before Kurt had the time to turn on the shield bracelet that would shield him from physical projectiles, Thor had him behind him, shielding him from the explosion.

They barely had time to regroup before Romanov was already warning them of the next batch of Chitauri and Leviathans emerging from the portal.

“Call it Captain,” Tony said as everyone turned to look at the portal.

“Alright, listen up. Until we can close that portal up there, we’re gonna use containment. Barton, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash,” the Cap ordered.

“Wanna gimme a lift?” Barton asked Tony.

“Right,” Tony said and took hold of Barton. “Better clench up, Legolas.” And he took off, flying to the top of the building before leaving to the perimeter.

“Thor, you gotta try and bottleneck that portal, slow ‘em down. You got the lightning, light the bastards up,” the Cap continued giving orders and Thor followed them, flying away. The Cap turned to Kurt. “Kurt, go see the Cube. See if you were right and the scepter can penetrate the shield. If it does, we’ll somehow arrange it to you.”

“Aye, aye, Cap’n,” Kurt said over his shoulder as he took a leap and took to the air, heading to the Stark tower. During the flight he had to take down a couple of the new wave of Chitauri but he didn’t engage them any more than he had to. He sighed in relief when he found both his dad and Erik Selvig out cold in front of the machine keeping the portal open at the top of the Stark Tower. Physically they looked unharmed and Burt was still clutching a PDD. Kurt snatched it up.

He turned his attention to the cube as the sky darkened ad lightning flashed, lighting up some Chitauri by the portal. He asked Mai to give a detailed report of what his dad had kept notes on during the building of the machine and it took a few minutes but he bound what he’d been looking for. There was a way to cut off the power source but it needed a “key” which the “master” had.

Both his dad and Erik Selvig were coming to and Kurt approached them wearily. Barton had been un-brainwashed when he had been knocked out but he wasn’t sure the same could happen this close to the Cube. “Dad?” he asked tentatively.

Burt jerked up to sitting position and looked wildly around for Kurt, relaxing minutely when he saw him. “Kurt?”

“Dr. Selvig?” Kurt asked the scientist and approached them.

The scientist looked around. “Yeah?” he groaned.

“Is the “key” the scepter Loki’s carrying around?” Kurt urgently asked.

“I… I think so?” Selvig looks uncertainly up at Kurt.

“The scepter can short cut the power!” Kurt informs the Avengers trough the intercom.

“One Loki with the scepter coming right up,” Barton says and three seconds later Loki lands on the platform to Kurt’s left in the wake of an explosion. Romanov landed on their platform behind them, almost missing the Tower and falling off.

Before anyone can do anything Hulk tackles Loki away from the scepter and into Tony’s living room. Loki tries to intimidate Hulk but Hulk just trashes Loki a little, knocking the air right out of him before leaving to go back to the battle, leaving the “Puny God” to it’s own devices. 

“Romanov, go secure Loki,” Kurt ordered. “I don’t particularly care how you do it, punch him out, sedate him, make him drink every last drop of Tony’s alcohol until he passes out, but I don’t want one coherent word out of him until tomorrow.” Romanov nodded with a vicious glint in her eyes that promised an unpleasant blackout for the god. Kurt turned to his dad and handed him one of his guns. “Dad, shoot the metallic flying ones. Anything human shaped is on our side.” Burt nodded as he took the gun he’d designed himself. “Dr. Selvig, could you do all the preparatory work to short cut the power. I’ll get the scepter.”

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

Kurt had the scepter ready, already penetrating the shield.

“I can close the portal. Does anyone copy? Tony, is the missile really coming?” he said to the intercom.

“Yes, I’ve got the missile. It’s set to detonate in thirty seconds. If you could keep the portal open for a minute, I’ve got a place to put it in,” Tony answered. “Kid, when I fall from the portal, I’d rather not for my body to be too badly injured.”

Kurt understood. It might be the last thing Tony would do and he wanted to look pretty for his funeral, or he might survive the trip to outer space alive but the drop from that height would kill him, even with the suit. “Romanov! Get here! If Stark falls, I have to at least slow him down!”

“Kurt, those platforms won’t be able to take the extra weight!” Burt warned and shot another Chitauri.

“Then at least I’ll slow him down!” answered Kurt as Tony flew right past them with the missile and into the portal with ten seconds before it was set to detonate. Then Romanov was there and Kurt let go of the scepter, preparing to go catch Tony. Ten seconds later the Chitauri started dropping around them like flies.

When thirty seconds after the missile went in and Tony still hadn’t fallen back, the Cap gave the order to close down the portal and Romanov poked the scepter to the right place. In solemn silence they watched the portal close but hope sparked in Kurt’s chest when he saw a red dot falling in the sky just when the portal vanished. He leaped and caught Tony just as he passed the tower.

But like Burt had warned him, his platforms couldn’t take the extra weight and they were both falling, slower than free fall but still too fast to be of any comfort for Kurt. That is, until Hulk caught them and shielded them from the impact with his own body. It still made Kurt loose his breath but he caught it as soon as Hulk had dragged Tony off of him. Scrambling up, he saw Thor and Cap run over to Tony’s prone form, and he too went to see if he was still alive. Thor ripped the mask off and Cap checked for breath but then they caught sight of the suits arc reactor. It wasn’t glowing like a healthy arc reactor does.

Kurt sighed in sorrow and Hulk, seeing his new friends sad and the other new friend so still, roared his grief for everyone to hear.

The sound of Hulks roar though shocked Tony to consciousness. “What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me.”

“Sorry, nobody’s not available at the moment so Hulk had to do,” Kurt grinned down at Tony, relieved that he wasn’t actually dead.

“Pretty human funny,” Hulk laughed and punched Kurt on the shoulder playfully. But since Hulk’s playful is still pretty damn hard for a normal human, he knocked Kurt down on his knees. Immediately an expression of guilt took over the green face. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Kurt laughed. He couldn’t help it. They had just-

“We won,” Steve breathed in disbelief.

“Alright. Hey. Alright. Good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day,” Tony muttered tiredly and then changed the subject. “You ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it.”

“We’re not done yet,” Thor said and looked up to the Stark Tower where only the “A” of the giant “STARK” remained.

“Yes we are,” shrugged Kurt. “I had Romanov secure Loki while Selvig and I were figuring how to close the portal. He’s knocked out until at least tomorrow… but I think Tony needs a completely new collection of alcohol.”

Thor looked at Kurt in complete disbelief before laughing in pure relief. He stepped over Tony and scooped Kurt into his arms. When Thor kissed him, the black haired boy half a block away who saw everything was the last thing on his mind.


	6. Chapter five

It was already well past midnight when Kurt got home. First reporting to Director Fury and being debriefed along with the rest of the Avengers, then getting the required medical treatment (getting his rib treated and making sure his dad was okay, he made Burt promise to call in a few days when they were sure Burt was okay) and finally having celebratory shawarma (which, after seeing what it was, he did eat, if rather reluctantly, as he needed the energy and protein the thing contained. The last time he ate was Gods knew when…) with the rest of the Avengers and he knew he had been awake for… twenty one hours. He’s not like Mark Zuckerberg who can go on and on for days on end without sleep (according to the dramatized The Social Network and it’s fandom. Don’t look at him like that; Andrew Garfield’s cute, okay?). This wasn’t his record, but after a second time he’d been up past the normal sixteen hours in three days he’s beat and didn’t even notice how Blaine’s curled up on the very edge of their bed, as far away from Kurt’s side as physically possible, dried tear tracks on his face. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

When he woke up, the apartment was empty and a note from Blaine said he’d gone to see the grocery store and would be home later. He noted the lack of the kisses after Blaine’s name and the lack of pet names in the note but chose to shrug it off. He’d talk to Blaine soon.

The text from Tony (among a hundred other texts from assorted friends and relatives) turned out to be much more interesting. How Tony got his number was a mystery he was too tired to look into and therefore decided to ignore it as he answered the text with an affirmative.

He ate a late breakfast or an early lunch (it couldn’t quite be considered to be brunch as he’d only had some cereal), got dressed and left to the Central Park, a small slip of paper deep in his satchel. In the subway he got a few weird looks from some of the other passengers who probably recognized him from some clip on the news or a picture on the paper. He hadn’t bothered to protect his identity at all, other than not dress like he usually does. It may or may not have been a bad idea but there was nothing he could do about it anymore.

The rest of the team was there, out of their suits as well (well, Thor and Loki were in their armor but they were going home…). Kurt looked them all over. Everyone cleaned up rather nicely. Bruce had shaved and slept as long as he’d had time. There was still some tension in his behavior but much less than any other time Kurt had seen him. Tony’s confident swagger was back full force, never mind that he still had to have sore muscles (Kurt himself had been tempted to stay in bed the whole day, nursing his ribs which fortunately hadn’t been broken). Agent Barton was the most hostile of the Avengers and Kurt could understand why. He’d been mind whammied and his sense of self had been scrambled, like eggs. Barton would never be the same but hopefully he would pull through. Agent Romanov, on the other hand, was the most relaxed of the group. She knew what she would do tomorrow: she would disappear and take on another mission for S.H.I.E.L.D. Her routine hadn’t been disturbed by the alien attack unlike the rest of them who were completely thrown out of balance. Steve just watched the rest of them and Kurt could see he still didn’t feel like he had a place in this time, with them. Kurt gave him a small smile and a nod which Steve returned, relaxing minutely at the acceptance.

Now Kurt turned his attention to Thor and Loki. Thor wasn’t smiling even if his eyes softened when he looked at Kurt and Loki. He was happy he had his brother back but at the same time he didn’t want to go back to Asgard just yet. He had things he wanted to ask Kurt but hadn’t had the time yet, most important being: why had Kurt kissed him back if he already had a lover? Hopefully he could return soon…

Loki was different. Kurt couldn’t see the madness and bloodlust in his eyes anymore. The righteous anger was there, along with shock, betrayal, bitterness, resignation and jealousy. Even a small spark of mischief had crept back in his gray-green eyes…

Wait a second…

Kurt did a double take. Gray-green eyes stared back at him. He vividly remembered Loki’s eyes being blue when he talked with Loki on the Helicarrier. He looked around, wondering if anyone else had noticed the difference.

“Hey Romanov,” he said thoughtfully, turning to the other agents. “What color were Loki’s eyes when you interrogated him on Helicarrier yesterday?”

“Bright blue, the same shade as Clint’s eyes when he was whammied…?” said Romanov hesitantly before her eyes widened. “Hummel, you’re not suggesting he was whammied too?”

Kurt nodded. “Look at his eyes and tell me they are the eyes of someone who would kill millions.”

Romanov took a long look into Loki’s eyes. This was made easy by the fact that Loki was looking at them right back with slightly tilted head. Romanov turned back to Kurt. “His eyes are more like that of a person who would jump off a bridge!” she said in a loud whisper, her own eyes wide. “Nothing like the monster that was in the cage on Helicarrier! And they’re green-gray!”

“Are you seriously suggesting Loki was controlled too?” asked Barton with a low voice full of disbelief.

“But he didn’t act at all like Clint and the other brainwashed,” Romanov pointed out.

“But we don’t know how long he was with the Chitauri and those who gave him the Chitauri,” Kurt said. “I know time flows differently between Earth and Asgard. What’s to say it wouldn’t flow even faster somewhere else? They could have had Loki with them for decades, enough time for a far subtler brainwash than the things with Barton and dad and Selvig. I mean, Loki needed to make decisions, right? Barton and dad and Selvig and everyone else just took orders and completed their tasks to the best of their abilities. The scepter didn’t interfere with their intelligence, just their personality, otherwise dad wouldn’t have been able to build the portal stabilizer. So it would make sense if Loki had been brainwashed, wouldn’t it?”

Barton nodded reluctantly. “But we can’t prove anything.”

“No, I suppose we cannot,” Kurt sighed and turned to gaze at Loki again. He needed Loki to be at least possibly considered innocent for his plan to work. Before this stint, Loki’s crimes weren’t in Earth’s jurisdiction so he could hardly be tried for trying to blow up Jotunheim. Jotunheim wasn’t even in the same part of the galaxy! “But we have to tell Director Fury of our suspicion because I have a feeling Loki will be on Earth sooner than anyone would like and personally I wouldn’t want to be alerted in the middle of the night because Loki’s trial was over and he was sent to Earth without his powers.”

“You think he’ll have the same kind of time out as Thor did?” Romanov asked, baffled.

“Well, from a certain point of view what Loki did was legal. Not nice or good, but legal,” Kurt pointed out. “He was the king of Asgard and Asgard was at war with Jotunheim. He was trying to win a war with no losses to Asgard and he had the same mentality as Tony had before he gave up weapons: “The best sort of weapon is the one you only have to fire once,” or something like that. And he did legally get the throne as he was the second-in-line and Thor had been exiled. Also, Earth doesn't have any sort of pact or deal with Asgard about crimes committed by Asgardians on Earth. So yes, I expect him to have more or less the same punishment as Thor.”

“What are you three whispering about?” Tony butted in curiously.

“Loki’s possible stint under mind control and the legality of his actions,” answered Kurt promptly, drawing everyone’s attention. “But since we can’t actually prove anything, it’s just speculations. In this case it’s “Guilty until proven innocent” and not “Innocent until proven guilty” like normally as we all saw what he did. If he was controlled, if he was EUD, he wasn’t responsible for his actions and therefore innocent of the crimes he’s accused of at the moment. But if he wasn’t, he’d be responsible for over one-hundred and fifty deaths and millions of dollars of property damage.”

“What reasons do you have to think Loki is innocent?” Steve asked, his sense of justice rearing it’s head, and once again Kurt repeated his observation of Loki’s eye color and it’s change. He also pointed out that the Loki whom they fought yesterday would have made everything that much harder just because but the Loki in front of them had barely bothered to eat and hadn’t even taunted them at all.

Finally Thor spoke. “My brother was never intentionally cruel and yesterday I found his mannerism strange. It was like every even slightly questionable aspect of him had been twisted into something more, something worse. His small need of control had become greed of power. His mischief had become malice. His passion, often directed at learning new things, had turned to obtaining his goal. He was still Loki but at the same time he wasn’t.”

Kurt smiled. “At least there weren’t two of them running around, one good, one bad. People would’ve gotten awfully confused and we don’t have a Vulcan here to put them back together.” Tony laughed, getting the reference.

“Well, you two better go where no man has gone before,” Tony told Thor and Loki, chuckling.

“Live long and prosper,” Bruce added with a chuckle and the classic Vulcan farewell hand sign.

“E.T. go home,” laughed Barton.

“There’s no place like home,” Steve offered almost shyly, earning a smile from Kurt.

“To the infinity and beyond,” Romanov added as the last one.

“If we weren’t in public and you could sing,” Kurt began with a dry grin, “I’d make you sing “For Good” with me, but since you don’t know the words and I have no idea of your vocal gifts, I just say: If you want to leave, you can. I’ll remember you though. I remember everyone that leaves.”

Thor looked at each one when they said their piece, cocking his head. “I know not of what you speak but I hope verily to meet each of you again someday,” he said, looking at the group on whole, before turning to Kurt. “Kurt, I am sorry if my actions yesterday were too forward. I just hope that we may remain friends and that next time we meet, I may meet your lover.”

Kurt almost kicked himself. He hadn’t thought about how Thor would react to the kiss yesterday and his plan relayed on no one else knowing it so he couldn’t explain it to him. But he put on a smile. “You never know, next time we see each other, I could be single again,” he shrugged. “Human lives are much faster than those of Asgardians’ after all.” He rose to his toes and gave Thor a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Hesitantly Thor returned the hug, not exactly understanding what Kurt was telling him. He couldn’t understand the notion of not loving Kurt for as long as he lived but humans had always been strange. Kurt whispered in his ear: “Don’t give up on your brother, he’s still the same person he was before,” and a new surge of hope welled inside him. If Kurt believed Loki could be saved, not all was lost.

Slowly they released each other and Kurt stepped back, smiling, before turning to Loki. He took the piece of paper from his bag and tucking it in the folds of Loki’s clothes. “There’s my address. If you ever find yourself stranded on Earth, you’re welcome to crash. Remember to share it with your brother so that he can find you if needed.”

Loki, still muzzled, stared at Kurt with fascination before giving a terse nod.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and scientists came over with the Tesseract and last words of goodbye were said before the two gods disappeared in a blue light, different to the white light of Bifrost. Everyone left fairly quickly after: Romanov and Barton disappeared with S.H.I.E.L.D., Steve took off on his motorcycle with a promise to call Kurt during his sabbatical, and Tony offered to drive Kurt back home (Bruce, it had already been decided, would be staying with Tony for the foreseeable future)(Tony insisted that Kurt come visit them every once in a while and maybe even help redecorate the destroyed Stark Tower).

Once in front of Kurt’s building, he got out of the convertible and with a backwards wave at Tony and Bruce, he entered the building, ignorant of the young man with gelled back hair, watching him from the window of their apartment.

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

“Blaine?” he called and dropped his keys to the bowl by the door. “Are you home?”

“In the living room, Kurt,” came the answering call. With a frown Kurt noted it was surprisingly monotony and made his way through the apartment. Blaine was sitting on the window seat overlooking the street below, a book in his lap. He turned to look at Kurt when the older boy slumped on the couch. “Tony Stark, Kurt? Why would Tony Stark drive you home?”

“Because Steve was going the other way and I lived on the way to the Stark Tower,” answered Kurt with closed eyes, enjoying the coolness of the AC.

“Steve? Do you mean Captain America?”

“Uh-huh, yeah. He asked to call him Steve after we talked about how shallow Snow White is,” Kurt reiterated sleepily. “Nice guy, he’s even seen Wizard of Oz.” He hadn’t slept nearly enough last night. Maybe he could take a nap before starting an early dinner…

“Who was the other blond?”

“Thor? What about him?” hummed Kurt, breathing deeply.

“Thor? As in Norse god Thor?”

“Yeah. His brother found out he was adopted and was manipulated into attacking Earth by still an unknown entity. They left back to Asgard just now, for Loki’s trial….” He yawned. “You’d like Loki. He’s like me, only more in need of your seeing the best in people –thing…”

“I thought Baldur was Thor’s brother?”

“I don’t think the myths were correctly translated…”

“You know,” Blaine began hesitantly. “I saw you.”

“That’s nice. What did you see?” Kurt heard Blaine say something but it didn’t register. “I’m sorry? Could you say that again? My brain’s still cooling.”

“I said: I saw you kissing.”

That woke Kurt up and he straightened in an instant. He turned to Blaine with wide eyes. “What?”

Blaine turned to look out of the window. “It had gone quiet outside and nobody knew what was going on. I decided to go see what the situation was and when I got there, I saw you, there, in the middle of those strange bodies with Captain America and Hulk and… and Th-Thor, gathered around something. Then you laughed and Th-Thor said something and you shrugged and said something and… and he picked you up and kissed you.” Blaine shook his head and looked at Kurt. “It made me wonder why you were with me in the first place. Was I just entertainment while you waited your warrior lover to come back to you?”

“What?” asked Kurt in disbelief. “No! Never! I care about you, Blaine!”

“But you’re in love with him,” said Blaine matter-of-factly.

“No! Well, yes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you too! But I don’t think Thor and I would ever really work. I mean, he’s a prince of a far away planet in a galaxy far far away. And he’s nearly four thousand years old, I’d be grave-robbing,” Kurt exaggerated. He needed Blaine to stay here in case Loki really was sent back to Earth for his punishment and what better way to keep him here but a relationship with Kurt? Once Blaine and Loki were in love, they would undoubtedly move together when Blaine was done with high school but by then Kurt and Blaine would be back to being best friends and Thor might be back and everything could be sunshine and rainbows and dancing on rose petals. And even if he never heard from the Asgardians again, he’d still have a happy life with Blaine. It was a win-win situation. Except, of course, if Blaine left right now.

Kurt took a deep breath. “When I met you, you reminded me that I wasn’t alone. I was attracted to you from the start. Actually, physically you’re everything I could want in a boyfriend including but not limited to the lack of a beard. After I got to know you, it became apparent you were like a calmer Thor. I admit, I don’t know Thor well, if at all, as the situation we met in was strange to both of us, but I got to know you and, well, I’m in love with you. Yes, I’m still attracted to Thor and evidentially he’s also still attracted to me, but he’s gonna live another twelve thousand years at least, I’m gonna be nothing more than blimp in his life, kind of like seeing someone attractive on the street and exchanging flirty looks for us, nothing more. So no, I’m not going to throw away a perfectly good relationship for a requited crush on an extraterrestrial being.”

Blaine didn’t look convinced, so Kurt brought out the big guns. “It wasn’t Thor who went to talk with Dave after he’d kissed me. Thor didn’t dance with me at my junior prom after the ignorant Neanderthals voted me for prom queen. Thor didn’t hold me after making love to me.” He conveniently left out that Thor couldn’t be there because Bifrost had been broken. “I admit I’m still physically attracted to him but I’m also attracted to Steve and Tony… which is a scary thought as my great-grandfather served in the Second World War with Steve and Tony’s twice my age. But I’m not gonna do anything about it. And that kiss you saw? It was the only one Thor has given me,” during this visit. “And now he’s back in Asgard where Valkyries serve his mother and goddesses walk freely among them.”

Blaine sighed. “I need some time to think about this. And if, Kurt, if, we continue this relationship, it has to go slowly, build up the trust again.”

Kurt smiled, relieved, and Blaine found himself smiling back, even though his smile was thinner than usually. “Take all the time in the world you need.” Kurt got up and stretched his back, popping his joints. “I’m going to take a nap before dinner and leave you to your thoughts.”

‘*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’

Kurt and Blaine looked up from their dinners as their doorbell rang. Blaine, who was in an easier position to leave the table, went to open the door. Kurt could hear some muted conversation and finally Blaine called him: “Kurt! It’s for you!”

With an arched eyebrow Kurt stood up and followed Blaine to the door where he found a familiar black haired man with an equal arched eyebrow.

A triumphant grin split Kurt’s face. “Loki!”


End file.
